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“I don’t mean you. I can tell you hate his guts. I am talking about Gio. He has set his sights on you and he never backs down from a challenge. Like I said, I love my brother but he is a dick to girls and falling for him will only cause you heartache. I am only telling you this because you seem like a nice girl and I think we could be friends,” she smiled at me sweetly and I looked back up at Giovanni’s window as a broad figure approached it. My heart started pounding and I stood up from the wall, turning my back on his silhouette and smiled back at Elle.
“Thank you for your warning, but I have no intentions of falling for your brother. He is everything I despise in a man. No offence.” She chuckled, shaking her head.
“None taken but let me just say this... Giovanni is playing a part. Right now, you are safe because you might hate this version of him but be careful. He is not what he seems and if he ever allows you to see the real him...you will be in trouble,” she stabbed the cigarette out on the surface of the wall and threw it into the bush behind before standing up. I was still trying to process her words when she pulled me in for a hug and kissed both my cheeks. “I will be back next week! I look forward to catching up with you then! Ciao Liv!”
I turned slightly to watch her walk back into the house and my eyes flickered up to his office window once more. My stomach flipped at the sight of his muscular build standing in the window. He was staring down at me and even though I couldn’t see his eyes clearly, I could feel the heat they possessed. My breathing quickened as he lifted a tumbler to his mouth and took a sip of the dark liquid, never taking his eyes off me. Spinning abruptly on my heels, I marched down the dark driveway without looking back, Elle’s words playing like a record on repeat in my mind.
I already knew I should stay away. I already knew he was wrong for me. But what did she mean that he was playing a part? And why would seeing the real him get me in trouble? As I continued to storm away from the mansion and the man who was starting to embed himself into my mind, body and soul in the most infuriating way, I couldn't help but feel intrigue and anticipation brewing inside me.
With only one question on my mind, I reached the gate as the men on guard opened it, setting me free from his kingdom but not from my thoughts.
Who was the real Giovanni Buccini?
Alone
Giovanni
It was three am before I finally decided to call it a night and drag myself to my room. Pulling today’s signature black shirt over my head and throwing it into the laundry basket, I staggered a little on my feet. I had had more than my usual nightly tipple. It was needed though, after a night of relentless, painful mental torture. I kicked off my shoes, hopping around clumsily before falling backwards onto my Versace silk sheets. I chuckled at myself. I hated these sheets. They were demons in disguise. They always felt nice at first. The cool, smooth fabric on my skin when I first make contact every night but within minutes, I am a sweaty mess and end up kicking them off and sleeping nude. I wouldn’t mind so much if I had Olivia in bed next to me. We could be a sweaty mess together. I smirked as my mind flooded with indecent images of what I would do to her if she were in my bed right now. Then I groaned and threw my arm over my head as the image of her undressing in Elle’s room came to mind. Fuck me sideways, she was a goddess. Of course she was, I didn’t expect anything less. Watching her wriggle her delicious ass out of the dress and seeing her standing there in a white lace thong and bra took every ounce of my control not to go into that room and take her up against the door.
I wasn’t leering on purpose. I am not a fucking pervert. I scoffed again. Okay, maybe I am. But I overheard Sani and her conversation when she was putting him to bed and it had me frozen on the landing as hurt and rage coursed through my veins. Rage at myself. Sani was right. I never make time for my family anymore. I rarely see them and when I do it always ends with me upsetting someone which then pisses me off even more. It was too late to make it up to my floor before I heard her coming out of his room and I didn’t want her to know I had been eavesdropping, so I did the only thing anyone could do in that situation. I hid in the bathroom like a naughty kid. I watched as she crept past the room I was concealing myself in and into Elle’s room.
Checking she wasn’t up to anything suspicious, I peered through the fraction of the door that was still open and saw her undoing the zipper of that tempting dress. But what was underneath was a far greater temptation. I couldn’t walk away. I couldn't tear my eyes from her heavenly body. Every inch and curve of her was calling to me like a beacon of desire. She was a siren and it took everything in me to leave and climb those stairs to my floor. I actually locked myself in my bathroom until I was convinced she had left the house. I didn't trust myself to be around her at that moment.
And just to torment myself some more, I watched her outside talking to Elle. I would have loved to know what they were discussing but I had a feeling I wouldn’t have liked it. When she peered up at my window and stared straight at me, I half expected her to look away, embarrassed at being caught. But she didn’t. Just like always, she surprised me. I hate surprises. Normally, when I am taken off guard by someone, they bleed. But not her. I would never hurt her.
She stood her ground and continued to stare, the light from the room illuminating her stunning face. Her eyes held a challenge. And then she was gone. Watching her hips swaying as she strolled down the dark driveway until she was out of sight, I downed my whiskey in one. And that is how my night continued. Neat whiskey. Vodka on the rocks. Even my father’s brandy made the cut.
The room started to spin as I closed my eyes, so I forced myself upright. Sleep was overrated anyway. It isn’t that I don’t enjoy sleeping. Nothing beats that feeling of a solid night's sleep but, it's been a long time since I had one of them. I hated falling asleep. I resisted the transition of falling to sleep until as late as possible, procrastinating the inevitable until my exhaustion took over and forced the heaviness of my eyelids to close and freed me of even heavier thoughts. But then the night terrors came. The flashbacks. The regret. The pain. Nearly every fucking night.
Stumbling to the bathroom, I splashed my face with cold water from the tap and leaned my hands on either side of the sink. Maybe I should go down to the gym. Doing a workout always helps release this frustration and tension. But I am not exactly in the right state to be lifting weights. This insomnia was nothing new but it has definitely got worse since a certain vixen came barrelling into my life. The only relief I get from my dark terrors are thoughts of her. She is like an addiction. Images of her swarm my mind every second of every day and it is even more insufferable at night when I’m alone with them in bed. The need to have her just keeps growing. I really believed it would fade away. That this...desire would dissolve as I got to know her or see more of her. That’s how it always worked with other women. I got bored of them. The excitement wore off. The instant attraction fizzled to a flicker. But this was something else entirely.
Dragging myself back to my bed, I perched on the side, swaying slightly as I ran my hand up and down my face. The real reason I hated the night so much was chipping away at me like the devil on my shoulder, forcing me to think about it. Forcing me to acknowledge it.I hated being alone.But being alone was better than the alternative. Being vulnerable.
Standing up from my bed, I stumbled into my walk-in wardrobe and changed into a pair of grey shorts before making my way down to the first floor. If my men were surprised to see me like this, they didn’t show it, as they fixed their gaze forward and focused on their job to protect my sleeping family. Making my way towards Sani’s room, I opened the door as silently as I could. The glaring light from the landing flooded his room, putting a spotlight on his sleeping form in his racing car bed. I closed the door just as quietly and tiptoed over to him through the darkness.
Something sharp suddenly sliced through my foot, causing me to curse loudly in Italian before I stepped back on what I can only guess was a collection of marbles which had me losing my balance and falling face first onto the carpet.
“Gio!” Sani’s frightened little voice rang out around the room as he reached over and turned his bedside light on. I sat up on the floor, stretching my neck to the side.
“Hey kid. Sorry I didn’t mean to wake you,” I said softly in Italian.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” He asked as his sleepy eyes looked over my crumbled body on the floor.
“I fell. Don’t worry little man, I am okay. Go back to sleep,” I said, kneeling up and rearranging his duvet.
“Why are you awake?” He asked, yawning.
I smiled down at him. “Couldn’t sleep. Just came to check on you.”
“Do you have bad dreams Gio?” His big brown eyes searched my soul and I froze before nodding slowly. I couldn’t lie to him. His innocence was so endearing that he squeezed the truth out of me no matter how much I wanted to deny it. I needed to be the strong big brother he deserved, but right now, I didn't have it in me. “I used to too. But then mamma got me this magic bed and I don’t have them anymore.”
I chuckled as I leaned my forearms on the side of his bed and rested my chin on them. “It is a cool bed, Sani. I am jealous.”
“You can sleep with me if you like? It might make your nightmares go away too,” I stared at him as the warm orange glow of his lamp highlighted his sweet face. At that moment, I realised. He didn’t need his big brother looking out for him right now. His big brother needed him. I crawled up onto his bed and settled behind him. He reached out to turn off his bedside light and I closed my heavy eyes.
"Notte, Gio,” his tired voice hummed out into the darkness and I draped my arm over his little body.
“Sogni d’oro Sani,” I mumbled as I fell into a dreamless slumber.
